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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27661469">keeping out the cold</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/pixiedusts/pseuds/pixiedusts'>pixiedusts</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Supernatural</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Episode Fix-It: s15e20 Carry On, Happy Ending, M/M, Mechanic Dean Winchester, but like alive because it's what they DESERVED!!!!!, cheesy domesticity all around, the knowledge of that job application on his desk is making me feral, this is bitty and desperate because im sad leave me alone, yes cas is out of the empty no i wont elaborate</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 22:07:55</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,266</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27661469</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/pixiedusts/pseuds/pixiedusts</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Dean appreciates their shift into normalcy, because they've suffered enough.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Castiel/Dean Winchester</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>41</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>394</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>keeping out the cold</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>god i LOVED the end of supernatural! the way cas and dean got to live nice peaceful relatively normal lives and saileen got their explicit happy ending and everybody got out of hunting and there was absolutely no development regression!</p><p>in all seriousness the finale was ass so have this</p><p>Not Proofed Because I Am Depressed</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Legitimate work is a <em>lot</em> harder than Dean remembers. </p><p>He’d picked up a job at a garage in the neighbourhood when he lived with Lisa. It was something he knew how to do without training or effort; the routine of fix-ups and oil changes and engine checks had been drilled into him for as long as Dean could remember. </p><p>Mechanical work’s one of the only things he learned from his dad that wasn’t a means to killing something, and the brief opportunity to relish in the normalcy is the reason he’s always loved the craft of it.</p><p>Even so, it’s been almost a decade since he did it for eight hours a day five days a week, and Dean is <em>exhausted</em>. </p><p>He sighs, runs a tired hand down his face and jams his door key into the lock. The front door opens with an appropriate groan and Dean steps through, closing it behind him before toeing off his shoes in the entryway and dropping his work duffel at his feet.</p><p>Warm air prickles his skin in contrast to the cold November night he’s just stepped in from, and Dean takes a moment to appreciate Cas’ complete disregard for their energy bill. </p><p>Miracle trots over from in the living room and winds himself between Dean’s legs, tail wagging furiously. “Hey, buddy,” he coos, bending to pat the dog’s head and ignoring the twinge at the bottom of his back.</p><p>Soft, tinny radio music and the aroma of cooking carry through from the kitchen, and Dean’s home.</p><p>He ambles through the house on achy, socked feet, Miracle right on his tail. Cas is standing at the stove, stirring a pan of something. </p><p>Leaning against the doorframe, Dean watches him contentedly, shitty day getting infinitely better as Cas turns to him with soft eyes. “Hi,” he greets. The dog brushes against Dean’s leg as he walks straight past, following the scent of food. </p><p>“Something smells good.” He pushes himself upright and pads over to him, wrapping his arms around Cas’ middle from behind. Nosing at the dip between his shoulder and neck, Dean inhales. “<em>You</em> smell good.”</p><p>Cas laughs and leans into the touch, the side of his head lolling against Dean’s ear, “you smell like cars.” </p><p>“Don’t remind me.” He presses a kiss to Cas’ skin, meandering up his neck to his cheek. “Hi,” Dean mutters, lips grazing against rough stubble. Again, Cas softly veers towards the feeling before turning his head and brushing his nose against Dean’s. Dean quickly catches him in a delicate, barely there kiss and smiles. </p><p>Miracle circles at their feet a couple of times, looking up. He soon gets onto the fact that there are no hand outs coming his way and moves to curl up underneath the kitchen island.</p><p>Cas pulls away slightly and turns in Dean’s arms. Hands fit snugly on his waist and Cas presses closer again. “Work okay?” </p><p>“If by okay you mean long, boring and fucking backbreaking, then yeah, it was swell,” Dean huffs. “Trapped my damn hand, too.”</p><p>Frowning, Cas steps out from Dean’s embrace and grabs his hands tenderly. His gaze locks onto the offending wound and he brushes his thumb over the bruising. “You need to be more careful, Dean,” he sighs, “I’m human now. I can’t heal you like before.” </p><p>Dean watches as his expression shifts from concerned to regretful, and won’t let it fly. “Hey,” he grips Cas’ hands in his, ignores the sting and urges him to look up. “You would if you could. That’s all I need,” promises Dean, earnest. </p><p>He brings one of Cas’ hands up to his lips and kisses his knuckles, holding his eyes. It’s met with a satisfied expression and Dean’s chest blooms with something like adoration.</p><p>“What you cooking, anyway?” he asks, dropping Cas’ hand with a squeeze and looking past him at the pan on the flattop. “Smells steaky.” </p><p>“Beef stew,” Cas answers, stepping back towards the stove and fiddling with the dials on the front.</p><p>“Awesome,” Dean says dryly, “healthy.” He sits on a stool at the island and swivels round towards Cas.</p><p>Twisting his head back to him, obviously amused, Cas rolls his eyes. “Like I said, I can’t heal you anymore. That means no more cholesterol zapping.” </p><p>Dean smirks and frowns, baffled. “You were doing that?”</p><p>He’d just put all his years to eating out of greasy spoons and vending machines and actually managing to stay upright down to Chuck, so his sheer surprise is nothing if not sincere.</p><p>Turning and moving to stand between his legs, Cas nods. “Yes.” He reaches up and cups Dean’s face in his hands. “So suck it up and eat the stew. After everything, I’m not losing you to a cheeseburger.”</p><p>Dean beams and snickers, chest tightening at the comment and the attempt at humour, and turns his head to kiss at Cas’ soft palm. “That because you love me?” he teases.</p><p>Cas groans, pushing at his shoulder. “You don’t think I’ll take that back? I will. Even after all this time.” His face is set with cool sternness, and Dean sees right through it. </p><p>He drops his grin, reaches up to grab Cas’ hand where it rests against his chest and tugs him closer. “Hey,” he mumbles with his knees pressing into the outsides of Cas’ legs. Cas levels him with a look and Dean leans in, speaking against his lips, “love you.”</p><p>They kiss and fall into it a little, warm touches pressing against Dean’s chest. He hooks a calf around the back of Cas’, and Dean slots his hands under the back of his shirt amorously before he’s pushed back softly. </p><p>“You’re exhausted,” Cas quietly points out with a fond smile, their noses bumping.</p><p>“Yeah, but…” Dean shrugs, lips curling suggestively, “y’know.”</p><p>Timing helpful as ever, his stomach groans and Cas chuckles, stepping away, “and hungry.”</p><p>Dean accepts his fate as he watches him turn back towards the oven and switch off the gas. Cas takes two bowls from the drying rack by the sink and fills them up, placing one in front of Dean before circling the island and taking a seat opposite him. </p><p>Miracle sniffs at his leg where he’s still dressed in oily overalls, and Dean barely waits for the guilt to set in before he’s fishing through his stew, spooning out a piece of meat and handing it down to the dog. He quickly follows it up with another.</p><p>“If he’s sick, you’re cleaning it,” Cas chastises.</p><p>“He’ll live. He’s got guts of steel like his dad,” Dean reaches down to ruffle Miracle’s fur, “right, buddy?”</p><p>He yaps in agreement and Dean hears Cas laugh quietly. The sound makes his heart twist in his chest and it doesn’t scare him one bit. Dean smiles as he registers the fact. </p><p>The stew is really good. It’s nothing that he’ll be admitting anytime soon, but it reminds him: “the health kick’s gonna have to take a backseat tomorrow, obviously.” </p><p>Cas knits his brows together and tilts his head. “It is? Why?”</p><p>Dean nods, still digging into his food, “s’our anniversary, dumbass. Taking you out. Steak dinners and dessert all ‘round.” It’s met with silence and Dean glances up to see Cas staring over at him blankly. “What?”</p><p>Shaking his head, Cas breaks himself from his reverie and says, “nothing. I just didn’t realise we were doing that.”</p><p>“Why wouldn’t we be?” Dean asks, scoffing playfully, “s’what normal people do, right?”</p><p>He nudges Cas’ foot with his own and watches as he breaks out into a broad grin.</p><p>“I suppose it is.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>thank you for reading, and i <em>sincerely</em> hope the show's trainwreck ending hasn't ruined the way you see and feel about the characters that made you see it through to the end. &lt;3 love always</p></blockquote></div></div>
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